


Walk a Day in My Shoes

by AmericaIronSoldier



Series: When Winter Met Spring [2]
Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Elementary School, Family, Foster Care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:08:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25057465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmericaIronSoldier/pseuds/AmericaIronSoldier
Summary: Doing a family tree is hard when you don't have any family to ask.
Series: When Winter Met Spring [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811380
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Walk a Day in My Shoes

Vivian always told the other kids in the foster homes to walk a mile in her shoes when she lived with foster siblings. She was seven in second grade when they started talking about families. Vivian didn’t really talk about it to anyone so she stayed quiet as the did the projects by herself. She didn't know she was suppose to do this weeks project if she didn't have a family. How is she suppose to ask the questionnaire that Mr. Arnold handed out. Today in class they got to share there family tree. Vivian tried to look her best for the presentation. Wearing the only pair of jeans that weren’t ripped and her plain yellow t-shirt that didn’t have a stain on it. Her hair was in two pigtail braids that she did herself. 

“Vivian, your next sweetheart. One show us your family tree!” Mr. Arnold told her.

Slowly she went up to the front and sat her poster down in the chair. All that was on her board was a tree with her face in the middle. The words biological mom and dad at the bottom of the tree. She drew flowers with names of her foster siblings in the center. In the clouds was all the names of the families she has lived with in the past. She might not of had good art supplies, but she was proud of how it came out. Even if everything was almost a different color. 

“My name is Vivian Persephone G. I don’t know what the G stands for, but I like to think that it’s gumpshion.” 

“Where is your full tree with your grandparents and aunts and uncles?” Mr. Arnold asked while writing on his clipboard. Grading her as she spoke.

“Umm, well. I am in the government's care so I don’t know who my mom and dad are. Or the rest of my biological family at the least. My foster dad told me I was stupid for asking, but I do know a few things! My b-biological mom was addicted to drugs. I almost died when I was born. I was born March 16, 2001. I might not have known her, but I know deep in my heart she loves me.” Vivian shifted slightly. “I think that she gave me my name so then she can find me in the future. All of my foster parents are on the bottom, but I don’t know if they count as family...”

“That’s very good. Any questions class?” Mr. Arnold asked the class hoping no one would. He didn’t want to embarrass her more than she had too. 

The boy in the red shirt, with the lightning bolt across the front raised his hand. Flash raised his hand. “Yes, Flash?”

“Why didn’t your mommy wanna keep you? I know that all mommies are supposed to love their kids, right? Why didn’t yours love you?” Flash asked, tipping his head to the side. 

Vivian looked at the ground. “Well, my mom probably couldn’t take care of herself. The people at the group meetings say that most kids that are from drug abuse families are loved. That is parents just can’t handle picking us right now. I’ve had five different mom and dads in the past seven years.” 

“Maybe they just though you were stupid!” Flash yelled. 

“Before you make comments like that you should walk a mile in my shoes. I don’t live in nice houses like you guys. I live wherever Ms. Carter puts me right now.” Vivian told them. “Which is scary since I can go away any day. Just depends on them. I don’t like going to new schools.”

“Vivian, thank you for your hard work. Take a seat so the next presenter can come up and show up there family tree.” Mr. Arnold told her.

Vivian did just that. She sat down in the chair and looked at her feet. She didn’t want to see any of their faces. Everyone was going to think she is a freak. She kept staring at the ground not wanting to see anyone. Her arms were shaking harder than the rest of her body. 

During recess no one wanted to play with her. No one came near her. The kids teased her telling her that she is a disease and parents will disappear when they go near her. So, she sat on the bench not looking for anyone. It was like that for the rest of the week and when Friday came around Vivian asked to go to the library instead of going outside.

She sat in the same chair everyday after that knowing she wasn’t going to make any friend. Vivian was mad at Mr. Arnold for making them do the assignment, but she didn’t want to tell him about it. Slowly the kids in her group moved there desks back a bit further from hers. After a month of going to the library instead of going outside they pulled her into the guidance counselor's office.

“Vivian, Mr. Arnold is starting to worry about you not wanting to play with the other kids. Can you tell me why you don’t want to be outside with the others?”

“They think if I go near them then their parents will go away like mine.” Vivian told her holding her arms. “They don’t want me to make them go away, and I don’t blame them.”

“Vivian, I’m sorry they are being mean, but why didn’t you tell anyone?”

She shrugged and looked at the counselor. “Why should I? It doesn’t matter… I won’t be here long anyway. I always get moved after two months. When I’m gone they won’t remember my name, I’ll just be a picture in the year book. Don’t worry yourself about me, alright? There are other kids that need help in the class.”

Just like she told the counselor, she was gone the next day.


End file.
